The Second Triplet
by LadyAkhana
Summary: This is the story of Queen Serenity's younger sister, Beauty, who leaves home on orders just before the Negaverse attacks, only to return to the planet she now rules and find herself in her own heap of trouble...
1. Beauty's Beginning

The Second Triplet  
  
Akhana Rishayo  
  
Disclaimer: SM is the copyright of Naoko Takeuchi. TokyoPop comics, Kodansha comics, and Toei animation use it under license; I do not own it, nor do I own the name "Beauty," which has been used by Disney and HarperCrest books.  
  
(Author's Note): Although I do not own SM or any of its affiliated characters, all characters mentioned otherwise are mine, and any person caught using them will be hunted down. I hope you like the story, so please R&R. Criticism is welcomed, especially constructive, and any comments, thoughts, and/or suggestions for future writing are welcome.  
  
For those of you who do not know, there was a set of triplets born the day that Serenity was born. As a matter of fact, Serenity was one-third of that set; she was the eldest. Her two triplet matches were Beauty and Aurora, for Queen Serenitatis gave birth to these three in the peace and beauty of the dawn of a new day.  
  
(A/N): Serenity is another word for peace, and aurora is another word for the dawn. Beauty is self-explanatory. I do not know if Serenity was really part of a set or whether she was an only child, nor do I know if Serenitatis was Serenity's mother's name. I decided that the mother's shortened name went to the eldest daughter. To fellow author Moonlady, I would like to say that your name for the princess's sister in your "Moonlady" fanfiction helped me with the aforementioned idea. And back to my story…^_~  
  
Most people know the story of how Serenity's kingdom grew and flourished on Earth's moon, but none know the story of the other two triplets. This is the story of Beauty, the second triplet. She is the second eldest; Aurora is the youngest, although the three's ages are separated by mere seconds. But Aurora's is a different story.  
  
We begin from Beauty's point of view, a few days before the war between the Earth and the Negaverse…  
  
Beauty collapsed onto her older sister Serenity's bed. She pushed her loose silver, holographically-color-changing hair from her face and stared at her. "What," she asked in disbelief.  
  
Serenity looked at Beauty. "Stand up, dear. You're wrinkling your dress." The younger woman did so, apparently at the motherly, no-nonsense tone. Beauty's loop- collar silver-satin dress fell into place, it's loveliness injured by the wrinkles that had so easily swarmed the fabric. "Now listen, dear. I'll say this one more time, very slowly, so that you can understand it." She circled Beauty, smoothing out the worst wrinkles with her magic. You, must, leave. There. Must I say it more slowly?"  
  
"No, thank you, Serenity. I can do quite well without the sarcasm. But why?"  
  
"Because I said so. And as queen of this realm, I order you to go. Something's not right." She didn't add that Beauty's mirror had shown her some awful things lately. Beauty often let Serenity borrow her magic mirror. She couldn't make any sense out of it, but the ravaged images of her kingdom, a shadowy queen, and her family's death were quite enough for her. If her sisters were here at the same time the images came true, they all would be destroyed, and Queen Serenitatis would have no heiress. Phoenixes rest her soul, Serenity thought. Her mother would not let this kingdom be destroyed; neither would Serenity. I am my mother's daughter. Nothing evil shall prevail, she had said once. Serenity fervently prayed it would be true this night.  
  
When Beauty returned to her room, she rang for her steward. The little bellpull was made of blue silk and the bell tinkled merrily in the servants' room. Moments later a forty-ish man wearing the lavender-trimmed silver silk tunic and pants characteristic of Beauty's court entered the room. His features were worn, and he had a touch of silver in the brown at each temple, but he was loyal, and had a good heart. Beauty trusted him with her life. "Vincent, pack our bags." He waited. She walked to her window, looked out at the home she had known for ages when she was a child. Then she had moved to a new home, but this remained her heart's home. She had left for and found love on Omega Nine, the ninth moon of Planet Omega, and there built both a kingdom and a family. She had still yearned for the comforts of triplet-hood, though, so she and her sisters had planned regular visits for her on Luna, Earth's moon. She and her family stayed for a few weeks out of the year. Now she was afraid she would never see it again. "We are going home."  
  
"Home? So soon?" Vincent usually didn't question, but when he did, it was for good reason. He always got answers, too. Things were just that way, because he was such a dear heart.  
  
"Yes." Beauty took a breath. "Serenity has ordered us to leave because she feels something…something evil. I know because I feel it too. Above all, we must leave quietly." The steward bowed and started to leave. "Vincent," she said before he was gone.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Be careful. Some of my other relatives aren't 'available' right now due to some late-night carousing, and they might get a bit upset at being disturbed. They're feeling quite delicate about now."  
  
Vincent tried hard not to smile. Beauty's court did love their champagne flutes. "Yes, my lady."  
  
As soon as he had departed, Beauty ran down the hall, satin skirt flying behind her. She reached her younger triplet's door and sidestepped the guards. "Aurora! Aurora, please open the door! It's me, Beauty!" She pounded on the door. Seconds later, it swung open.  
  
A woman of Beauty's and Serenity's age with a varicolor gown and multi- color hair cascading down from an odango on the crown of her head stood holding it. "Beauty?" she asked. "Why are you—"  
  
Beauty stepped just inside the door and closed it. No one within the rest of the apartment could hear what she said, nor could anyone without. "Please. Don't ask. Just get everyone in your court out. Serenity fears something is wrong, and I feel it too. I'm leaving; Serenity ordered me out. Please do the same. I do not want to see you hurt."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Concentrate. Search for evil, malice, rage. You will feel them on the edge of consciousness, like they're getting closer, coming toward us." At her younger sister's surprise at her success, Beauty continued. "Go. Do not stay. Serenity herself will tell you if you don't. She has already ordered me out." Footsteps interrupted her, echoing down the hall and around the corner. "She is coming to as you to leave! Don't let on that you know. Tell no one in your court until she has gone." Beauty scurried off the opposite way from Serenity's approach, calling Vincent every so often so as to mask her reason for coming. When she got back to her own rooms, she threw open her wardrobe and pulled her clothes off of the hangers. After they all lay in a pile on her bed, Beauty systematically vanished each into her closet at her own palace, far away on the moon of Omega.  
  
Vincent arrived a short while later, just as Beauty was gathering her cosmetics into her purse. She dropped in eyeliner, mascara, lipsticks in every shade, eyeshadow to match, nail polishes by the handful, and several combs and brushes. Her purse wasn't that big; in fact, it was the dainty little pouch that most women wear. But this purse had a secret. Inside was a portal to a storage area in space. No one knew where it was, but it was large enough for anything to go into—anything large enough to fit into the purse mouth, that is. This was never a problem, however; the purse mouth stretched to accommodate whatever Beauty wished.  
  
Vincent cleared his throat. "My queen?"  
  
Beauty whirled around and saw her steward standing next to her daughter. She put a hand to her chest and let out a breath. "Good heavens, Vincent. Don't startle me so!" She reached out to the princess, who was also named Beauty. "Come daughter," she said as the young woman stepped into her embrace. "Pack your things. We are leaving."  
  
"Why, Mother Beauty? Why must we leave? I didn't even get a chance to go to a ball this visit."  
  
"I'm sorry, dear, but Serenity—my sister—has ordered us out. She believes there is danger. We will leave because we must, both by order and my own doubt in the safety of staying this time. Go, quickly. Say good bye to your cousins Serenity and Aurora, and don't forget your Aunt Aurora and Aunt Serenity. Vincent, go with her. You can protect her with the jewel I gave you."  
  
"Yes, my queen." Vincent gave a little bow.  
  
"Hurry back," the queen instructed her daughter.  
  
"Yes, mother." Princess Beauty curtsied, turned, and scurried out of the room, followed closely by the faithful Steward of the Court. Beauty was left in silence to finish packing.  
  
The last item Beauty picked up was her magic mirror. It had belonged, once, to a princess on Earth who had been named Beauty. She had gotten it from a Beast, when she was imprisoned in his castle in a land once called France. The Queen now lifted the mirror up before her face. "Show me the evil my sister believes is coming," she commanded it.  
  
Beauty gasped when the mirror scanned down a line of hideous faces. At the center of the advancing front line was a mass of black, punctuated here and there by glowing red eyes and smiling red mouths. And at the very core of the black shade that blotted out the stars was a figure dressed in purple, with hair of auburn-brown, sharp fangs, and a shimmering crystal of deepest ebony. She wore a crown, and her face matched that of Queen Serenity's rival from when she was younger.  
  
The face was Beryl's.  
  
"Omigosh!" the queen whispered. Here eyes were wide, her face pale. "Serenity!" she shouted, dashing to the door. She yanked it open. "Serenity!"  
  
A lavender-garbed guard looked at her, startled. "My queen?"  
  
"Where is my sister," she demanded. He made no reply for a second. "My sister, now!"  
  
"I…I believe…she's…in her quarters?" the guard replied uncertainly.  
  
Beauty took off in the direction of her sister's rooms, calling as she went. "Serenity! Serenity!"  
  
Hearing the shouts from down the hall, Serenity stuck her head out the door. "What? Who's calling me?" She stepped out, closed the door, and turned around just in time to see Beauty come to a stop in front of her. "Goodness," she cried. "Beauty, what are you such in a commotion about?"  
  
"Serenity! Thank the Phoenixes I've found you! You were right! I'm sorry! We have to leave!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I had no idea you had seen things in my mirror that you didn't tell me about. Now that I've seen what you believe might be right, I completely understand. I had a hunch that you weren't telling me something, so I looked in the mirror and found the evil advance. And then everything about your strange behavior was explained! Watch." She held the mirror up. "Show me the evil Serenity believes is coming." The mirror flashed green light, and Serenity saw the face of her rival from youth. She paled, and Beauty asked, "Now do you believe me?"  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry for not telling you before…I just didn't want to trouble you in case it didn't come true."  
  
"Serenity! You know that my mirror is always true! That's part of the magic; the mirror can't lie!"  
  
"I know. I'm sorry…I was a complete fool to believe otherwise. Could you forgive me?"  
  
"Of course. I can't stay mad at you forever, even if I tried."  
  
At that moment, Princess Beauty burst into the hallway, followed by Vincent. "Mother!" the girl cried. She flung herself into her mother's arms. "Oh, Mother! I had the most horrible daydream! I was walking down the hall when I just got this daydream and nearly fell over, but Vincent caught me, so I'm okay. But my daydream was awful, Mother! Everyone was getting destroyed and Aunt Serenity was killed! Can we please go now? I don't want to be destroyed!" The sixteen-year-old clasped her mother tightly.  
  
"Yes, Beauty. We are leaving right now. Vincent, start vanishing everything back home. Get the guards ready to transport us to the comet as it swings around." She ushered her daughter away. "Good-bye, Serenity," Beauty said fiercely, and embraced her sister tightly. Her eyes misted.  
  
"Good-bye, Beauty," Serenity replied. Her eyes, too, were glistening with tears. She lifted a hand in farewell as her sister walked down the hall with her daughter.  
  
"Good-bye, Aunt Serenity," was the last thing she heard from either of them.  
  
"Do we have everything, Vincent," Queen Beauty asked as she looked around the now-vacant apartment. Everything but the original furniture was gone.  
  
"Yes, my queen," he replied. "And the guards are ready."  
  
"Very good, Vincent." The queen was dressed in a traveling gown of lavender. The sleeves came three-fourths of the way down her arms, leaving just enough room for a few bangle bracelets. Several rings dotted her slender fingers. The dress she wore skimmed her curves and flared near her feet. It was exactly the type of gown her husband liked, and the trip was short enough that she'd be home before Omega-set on Omega Nine. "Let's go."  
  
The guards formed a circle around them, and transported them to the surface of a passing comet. The comet passed near omega Nine in less than a day from Earth's moon; it traveled so fast that the stars were streaks in the sky. The queen has used her power to commission this particular comet as her personal travel item; she used it to travel instead of driving a special carriage on the Rainbow Road that appeared before and after one's carriage. That could be so tedious and long, and this was just so convenient.  
  
Beauty saw another comet take off from orbit around the Earth's moon. That must be Aurora leaving, she thought, and sighed at the thought of leaving her sister behind. She sat on the grass.  
  
Normally comets didn't have grass growing on them, but this particular comet had an atmosphere, and traveled so fast as to make its own light. So it supported simple life such as grass. Soon, the warm light relaxed Beauty's body, and she lay down and fell asleep, her daughter nearby.  
  
She awoke to a gentle shaking. Opening her eyes, she saw a guard bent over. He was the one shaking her. "My queen? We're ready to transport." The queen sat up, then stood and walked to the circle the guards had formed. In a flash, they were gone, only to reappear on the surface of the planet below. 


	2. The Mourning After

(A/N: AS you all know, I do not own SM. Duh. You know, I probably could have come up with a better name for Beauty's husband, but my brain was shot when I tried to think up a name, so I came up with one on the spot. Please send me a better name, and I'll change it.)  
  
The palace courtyard they now stood in was beautiful. On this jungle-like moon, the palace had been built entirely out of cool marble, to both hold in the coolness of the stone and keep out the heat of the day. The marble's deep blue made the palace look like a sapphire set in the emerald world about it. The queen and her entourage walked up the wide steps and through the beautiful blue halls to an antechamber off of her throne room, where her Steward gathered up the various notes and messages that the nobles of the court had left for the queen. "My, your majesty," he commented as he stacked papers, "your nobles have been quite busy since you left."  
  
"Yes," she answered. "My court always tries to think up ways to keep me glued to my throne. That makes them think they can sneak around behind my back. But I always end up catching them, and they always try again."  
  
"It's the vicious, endless cycle of running a kingdom, Your Majesty."  
  
"How would you know," Beauty teased.  
  
"Well," the long-lived Steward teased back, "I did serve your mother, and her mother, and her mother before that...."  
  
"Oh, I forgot; you're a million years old." The Queen smiled at her lifelong protector and friend.  
  
"Do I really look it?" he answered with heavy sarcasm.  
  
"I suppose not, but you never can tell with someone who's lived for two million years."  
  
"Cut it out, Beauty. Just cut it out"  
  
Beauty flung herself into his arms, wrapping her own arms around his neck. "You don't really mind, do you, papa?" Vincent wasn't the queen's real father, he just fit into that role in Beauty's life after her father had passed away. So she always called him "papa" when she felt childish.  
  
Vincent smiled and hugged her back. "No, child. Now do your homework."  
  
Beauty smiled back and turned to her desk. She sat down and began to read the various petitions her nobles had left for her. Three hours later, she stood up again and said, "Vincent, if you bring me another petition tomorrow, I'll have the nobleman who wrote it locked in the pinnacle for a week."  
  
"The pinnacle, your majesty?"  
  
"Yes, the pinnacle. You know, the highest room in the palace that's crystal clear so everyone can see the poor fellow who got locked in there?"  
  
"Oh, I remember."  
  
"Good. Now I'm going up to my chambers to say hello to my husband and watch the Omega-rise. And I DON'T want to be bothered until tomorrow morning."  
  
"Yes, my Queen," Vincent acknowledged.  
  
Beauty walked pensively back to her room. Even though she'd escaped the danger on her sister's kingdom, she still didn't feel quite right. Walking past the saluting guards at her door, she entered her room and went straight for her mirror. 'Please, mirror, tell me what I need to know.' But all she said aloud was, "Show me Queen Serenity's kingdom."  
  
The mirror flashed its customary green and lightened into an image of the Moon Palace. It was all aglow with colored lights, doubtless created with common magic for a party. But why would Serenity be holding a party when her court was endangered? "Show me the Queen." Another image formed, this time of a queen who gave every appearance of being happy and delighted with the party. But Beauty knew her sister. She could read between the lines, and she knew Serenity was worried.  
  
Then Luna and Artemis, Serenity's two feline advisors, burst into the ballroom. "The Palace is under attack!" Luna shouted. They ran to the Queen.  
  
"Your Majesty," Artemis informed her, "it's Beryl and her Shadows! They've come with the Negaverse to destroy the kingdom!"  
  
Beauty put the mirror down, tears streaming down her face. She knew what was going to happen; she'd seen it in Serenity's eyes. Serenity had seen this in the mirror before, and knew that it was inescapable. Beauty crumpled on the cool marble floor and wept until she fell asleep.  
  
Not until she heard a distant calling did she begin to stir. Someone's voice...a man's...her husband's. With some effort, she pulled herself up out of the foggy blackness of her sleep.  
  
"Beauty?" A pair of worried dark eyes looked down at her from above. Moving slightly, the man they belonged to allowed her to sit up. Beauty started when she remembered that she was on the floor. Then she remembered why she was on the floor, and broke down in tears again. She clung to her husband, who held her and whispered nothings—as men are wont to do when they can't understand a woman's behavior—until she calmed down. Then he asked her what was the matter.  
  
"Oh, Jounochi, Serenity is dead! Oh, my dear sister Serenity...." She buried her head in the warm velvet of Jounochi's shoulder.  
  
"How do you know she is dead? She could have survived whatever happened." He tried to be supportive and optimistic, but Beauty shook her head.  
  
"No, she couldn't have survived. She saw it in my mirror, and I saw it in her eyes. I witnessed the beginning of the attack through my mirror. I no longer feel her presence when I reach out for the comfort of my older sibling. Serenity is gone, as is her kingdom. Her daughter has escaped, though I don't know where. The sense of my niece's presence is distorted somehow, as if she is no longer here, but somewhere half-hidden from my search. Princess Serenity is the only remaining heiress of Serenitatis's eldest line."  
  
"You must go find her," Jounochi exclaimed. "She must be brought here for safety. If the people who did this find her—"  
  
"We cannot."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Negaverse attacked, led by Beryl herself. She completely destroyed the kingdom, and will destroy us if we reveal her enemy's daughter. Serenity must live, wherever she is, forever in hiding."  
  
When the queen came out of her rooms the next morning, she was dressed in the somber black of mourning. She went to her daughter's apartment, drawing looks as she passed through the halls. The queen did not wear black on ordinary occasions, and she did not mourn without letting the court know. Despite the seemingly strange behavior she knew she must be displaying, Beauty walked resolutely to her daughter's chambers. "Beauty," she called as she entered. When she got no response, she looked in the princess's bedroom, expecting to maybe find her still asleep. She did not find the princess there, so she stepped into the massive walk-in closet. Princess Beauty was there, at the back, arguing with her maid about which dress she was going to wear.  
  
"I am NOT wearing the orange one!"  
  
"But Beauty, it's such a lovely pale orange. The sherbet color looks nice with your red hair."  
  
"NO!"  
  
"But—" The woman started to say something, and then she saw Queen Beauty over the princess's shoulder. "Your Majesty!" she cried, and fell into a deep curtsy.  
  
Princess Beauty spun around, saw the queen, and immediately dropped a flawless curtsy, as well. Then she straightened and addressed her mother, not noting the black dress she wore. "Mother, Warda is NOT making me wear that orange dress! I want to wear my pink one. Pink looks so much better with my hair than that does." She wrinkled her sixteen-year-old nose at the dress.  
  
The queen straightened, not wanting to tell her daughter what had happened. She decided upon the issue of fashion as a way to lead off. "I'm sorry, my dear, but you won't be able to wear either of them." The princess's eyes widened, and Beauty held up her hand. "Darling, come here." The princess obeyed, finally realizing that her mother wore black. Queen Beauty saw it dawn in her daughter's eyes, and explained. "Beauty, I'm sorry. The Moon Kingdom has been destroyed, and your Aunt Serenity was killed. Your cousin still lives, but she has been hidden, and we may not go find her. You are to wear the black of mourning, Beauty. Do you understand?"  
  
The princess nodded, her large green eyes filled with tears. "Yes, Mother Beauty. I understand."  
  
The maid, having straightened from her curtsy, replaced the orange dress and found one of the black ones reserved for mourning. After all, one cannot wear the same black dress every day, and the same style gets boring after a few days. Thus the court tailor had made several different styles of black mourning gowns, hoping that they would not have to be used. She brought it forward to the queen, who solemnly helped her daughter into it. When the princess's hair had been combed and brushed and put up into its customary style, mother and daughter left the apartment and walked through the buzzing halls to the throne room, leaving a widening wake of silence behind them.  
  
In the throne room, the Queen gave her Steward a command to summon all the courtiers to assembly. That done, the hall buzzing with curiosity and wonder, the Queen stood from the throne and delivered the news. "My Lords and Ladies all, I have grave news. Late last night, evil powers, led by my sister's rival Beryl, attacked the Moon Kingdom in full force." A gasp rippled through the room. "The palace and the Capitol sustained heavy damage, but the fighting was put to an end towards dawn here, when Queen Serenity made a stand against them with the Silver Crystal and the Crescent Moon Wand. She banished Beryl and trapped her Seven Shadow warriors in the Silver Crystal. Using her last strength, she sent every member of her kingdom to hiding." Beauty's voice wavered, and she steadied herself. "The Moon Kingdom is no more."  
  
That said, the queen sank back onto her throne. The room was silent. Her daughter caught a hand in her own, and stood to say something.  
  
"Lords and Ladies of the court, I do not believe we should spend the remainder of our lives looking back upon the Queen Serenity as a departed queen, a lost relative, a beloved leader gone. Instead, let us remember her as a savior, the Savior of the Moon. Aunt Serenity did much more than just lock Beryl away in a tower. She drove Beryl from the universe forever. She may not have prevented the destruction of her kingdom, but she ensured its rebuilding. My cousin will see everything through, and someday, when she has done what is necessary, she will come back and turn the ravaged city of the moon into a glistening Capitol once more. Lords and Ladies, I believe that not only will the forces of evil that did this be punished, they will be defeated and utterly destroyed. Thus they will come no more against the kingdoms that still hold true, but will perish even unto the last. So let it be witnessed, so let it be done!"  
  
Amidst thunderous applause and many cheers, the princess and her mother decreed their unwavering dedication to the forces of good. Little did the queen know that her daughter's word would prove to be entirely too prophetic for both Serenity's daughter and her own. 


	3. A Midnight Meeting

(A/N: This section contains some Japanese words turned into names. "Kaijin" means 'mysterious person,' "Yumezuishou" means 'dream crystal,' and "Meisatsu" means 'insight' or 'discernment.' Hope you enjoy the story, and don't forget to R&R, please! Luv ya, everyone! -LadyAkhana)  
  
After the accumulated court business had been taken care of, Princess Beauty walked through the halls of marble. Her cousin was gone. There was no way to get around the fact she faced as she glided down the corridor that led to her room. Her hand went to the doorknob, and Beauty heard a voice behind her. She turned. "What?" Vincent had called her name and was now hurrying toward her. "Princess Beauty, Queen Meisatsu of Omega has arrived with her son, Prince Kaijin. Your mother wishes for you to be present when they arrive." Beauty didn't hear him. She had a vague impression of being led down the hall as she thought on just what Vincent had said. Prince Kaijin was coming! Oh, how she wanted to see him! They were best friends, but the last time he had come, she had started to feel awkward around him. He didn't seem comfortable either, but that had probably just been her own nerves. That had been shortly after she had turned fifteen. Now, a year later, she was a little anxious about meeting him. She wondered what he was thinking about meeting her; probably the same- "What are you so preoccupied with, child?" Beauty looked up from her reverie, jolted back into the present. "Hm?" "Are you all right, child?" "Yes, Vincent, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" "You seemed a little spaced-out there, Princess." "Oh. I was just letting my mind wander." "I see." He opened a door to a large balcony overlooking the city. It was the largest balcony in the city, called the Grand Balcony because that was where the queen addressed the city. It also served as the guest reception area. A platform set into the balcony floated up to meet the guests levitating down, and they landed on the platform, which was then lowered to the balcony. The Princess and the Steward reached the Queen as the platform began to descend. All eyes were on the people descending on it. A lovely silver-haired woman in a pale green gown stood tall, escorted by a troop of uniformed guards-male and female-and a young man who could only be her son. He, too, had silver hair and wore a blue outfit instead of pale green. His eyes captured Beauty's and held them until he reached the balcony. There he respectfully bowed to the queen. After his mother and hers had exchanged the necessary royal pleasantries, they retired to Queen Beauty's apartment. Vincent went with the queen's guards to show them to the apartment. So Beauty and Kaijin walked among the halls. For a time they were silent. Then Kaijin said, "Beauty, why do you wear black?" She replied softly, "My Aunt Serenity died. Her kingdom is gone." That mention of the event was nearly enough to send her into tears again. "How did she die," he asked as respectfully as he could. Beauty was stunned. He didn't want to hurt her feelings; she could tell that much. But neither did he want to upset her, though he was very curious. She realized that he would probably not ask if she wished it, but she wouldn't deny him a simple answer. Taking a deep breath, she told him. "Her rival from youth, Beryl, led an attack by the Negaverse. They first attacked Earth, then the moon, and destroyed the Capitol. She trapped them in the Crystal she carries, and sent her daughter into hiding with the rest of the population. I don't know where they are.I just wish that-" Her voice caught, and tears welled up in her eyes. Kaijin guided her to a window-seat they had just passed, and they sat down. "You wish you could see them one last time, but they're already gone," he finished for her. She nodded, the drops in her eyes now tracing little paths down her cheeks. He put his arm about her shoulders, just as he had when they were children and she had cried. And as before, she leaned into his comforting side and wept until she felt better. His comforting presence was now more than comforting; he exuded a peace and warmth that was unmatched by any she had felt in his presence before. When her tears were spent, he summoned a kerchief and gave it to her. She dried her green eyes and the marks left on her face from the tears. "Thank you.for just.listening," she told him. "You're welcome. Keep it," he replied when she tried to return the kerchief. She nodded and vanished it. "Are you feeling better? Perhaps you should go wash your face," he suggested delicately. She smiled, briefly turned away from him, and passed a hand in front of her face. When she turned back, it was as if she had never cried at all. Her face looked as if she had just finished making it up for the day, fresh and beautiful. Kaijin's heart stopped momentarily. "Don't need to," she explained. Just then, a loud meow sounded from the other end of the hall. A silver-haired cat's head peeked around the corner, bright green eyes anxious. "Aw," Beauty said. Kaijin took his arm from around Beauty's shoulders. She bent down and clapped her hands together lightly. "Come here, Bastet. Here, kitty kitty." The white animal immediately responded, scooting around the corner and dashing into Beauty's lap. "Good girl," she said as she rubbed its chin. Bastet purred, nudging Beauty's hand. "You're empathetic, you know that," Kaijin said. "Absolutely," she replied, laughing. Together, they fawned over the cat and talked about everything, just as they had done as children. There came a time when, as the Omega-set spilled over their shoulders to illuminate the wall before them, Queen Beauty and Queen Meisatsu found them. As courtesy dictated, Beauty scooped the cat into one arm and curtsied to the two queens. At the same time, Kaijin rose and bowed. With the acknowledgment of their mothers, the two took their seats again. But Beauty was not to sit much longer, as she soon found out. "Beauty, come with us," her mother requested. The princess knew it was not a request, however. She resolutely stood again, put the cat on the floor, and moved to follow her mother and Queen Meisatsu. "You are welcome to come also," the Queen told Kaijin. He stood and joined them. After they had passed through several corridors, he noticed that they were heading to the Queen's chambers. She opened the door, and the two walked in. The Queen, being the last to enter, closed the door. She led them to a round table in the center of the receiving room. On it lay a large mirror engraved with roses, a necklace with a crystal pendant, and a tiny silver crownlet set with sapphires. "Beauty," the queen said, "I want you to know something. I am afraid one of Beryl's two sisters will come after us. She undoubtedly told them of her plan to attack the Moon Kingdom, and those two have grudges against your Aunt Aurora and I just as Beryl did. I don't know why, but they do. This I have seen with my mirror." She indicated the large silver one on the table. "As for me, I shall safeguard our kingdom." Beauty didn't miss that implication. "Our?" The Queen nodded. "Yes, Beauty. As of now, you are the one who must take over my duties." "I thought I already was." "You were, but now you shall sit in court as I handle daily matters. You have learned about the rules, now you must learn to rule. This crownlet is now yours, as a symbol of your assuming the royal duties." She placed the little crown on Beauty's head, nestling it among the silver hair. It was almost lost there, except for the sparkling sapphires. "And the necklace is yours now; it was your grandmother's. She handed it down to me, and I now to you." The princess turned so that her mother could fasten the silver chain about her neck. "The pendant it bears is the jewel of our family, the Yumezuishou, also called the Dream Crystal. It is the symbol of twelve pure traits: joy, loyalty, life, prosperity, peace, destiny, fortune, trust, love, knowledge, har-mony, and dreams. One day, it will be set in your crown, a token of your status as Queen." Beauty touched the Yumezuishou reverently. "Mother." she whispered. Lastly, the queen picked up her magic mirror. Tracing its designs fondly, her eyed misted, and she laid it flat on her hands. "Beauty, you must have this now. Of it, I make a gift. Use it; it can be a great ally in reigning your kingdom someday. You may also glimpse the future, but once seen, it is no longer certain. Take care of it and pass it down to your children." The queen's voice broke, and she turned away as soon as her daughter had taken the mirror. Once she had regained composure, she turned to face them again. Now she spoke to Kaijin and his mother. "This is why I have requested that you attend as well. I wanted someone to validate my passing my powers to my daughter. There is one last thing I, we, have to do." Queen Meisatsu walked over to Queen Beauty, who took her daughter's hand, and then Kaijin's hand. "You are to be married one day. You were betrothed since you were born. I hope you will be happy with one another." She joined their hands. "Yes, your Majesty. We, also." Kaijin answered. Each still holding the other's hand, they made reverence before the pair of queens. "One question, if you please," Princess Beauty said after they rose from their reverences. "Why not do this before the court?" "The court is aware of your betrothal. It was announced at your birth," Queen Meisatsu answered. "Very well." Beauty was not pleased that the court had known before her, nor that her mother would keep this a secret from her. But things could not always please everyone. She wished she could leave. "Are we dismissed, Mother?" Kaijin asked, as though he could read her mind. Queen Meisatsu gave her consent, and they left the two queens alone. When they were safely on a westward-facing balcony, Beauty leaned her elbows on the blue-marble railing. "Thank you," she said. "I thought I'd never get out of there." "Hey," Kaijin said self-deprecatingly, "I hate the tediousness of ceremony, too, even if it is a solemn family thing." He stared out at the now- twilight sky. "Isn't this beautiful," he asked. "Yes," Beauty replied. With the setting of Omega and the sun of this system, the other eight moons of Omega rose one at a time, bathing the ninth in interminable twilight. It was always lovely, especially when a breeze blew off the waveless ocean in the distance, carrying with it a wonderful smell. Any time she could get away from the palace, Beauty went sailing or swimming in the saltless water. Kaijin reached down to the vines growing up the side of the building. He pulled something off it, and leaned back up. He held a pale pink flower in his hand. "For you, my Lady." He presented it to her with an outrageous flourish. Beauty laughed, accepting it with an equally exaggerated curtsy. "Why, thank you, my Lord." He stepped up behind her, and took the flower from her hands. Then he carefully placed it behind her ear, twisting it into the silver strands of her hair. He turned her to him and stepped back, admiring the effect it had on her black dress and silver hair. "Beautiful," he murmured. "Just like your name says you are." He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Would your Highness mind taking a walk with me?" "My Highness would not," she said, her eyes dancing as she smiled. She took his arm. While he led her through the halls, she wondered where she was being taken. Suddenly, they stopped before the double doors of the grand ballroom. "What-?" The doors swung wide, revealing a ballroom full of people. They burst into applause as the prince escorted the bewildered princess down the wide staircase to the floor, where the queens were waiting. "Happy betrothal, dears," Queen Beauty said as she embraced them in turn. The ballroom floor cleared, and the betrothed couple took their turn on the floor as a solo couple. When the waltz they danced to was over, the nobility of Omega Nine flooded the floor. The ballroom was awash in the colors of the ladies' swirling gowns, undimmed by Beauty's own black. Princess Beauty and Prince Kaijin danced among them, swept away by the merriment of the court. Several dances later, Kaijin escorted Beauty off the floor. They stood off to the side, chatting with the nobility that were not dancing. "Beauty, dear, that's a lovely necklace," a pink-clad lady noted. "Thank you. My mother gave it to me." "What an exquisite tiara." A woman in a green dress curtsied as she commented. "It's a crownlet from my mother." "Good evening, Princess Beauty," was heard many times in passing, drawing as many curtsies as "Good evening, Prince Kaijin." The prince led Beauty to her mother, who was talking with Ambassador Sarta from Omega Three. He was here on a relations mission, and had never been to a royal ball before. So Queen Beauty decided to invite him. "After all, is not a party the best way to welcome a guest," she had said. Beauty curtsied royally before him. "Good evening, Ambassador Sarta." "Good evening, Princess Beauty," he replied with a bow. "You look lovely tonight. While we mourn for your mother's sister, I must say the black does look wonderful with your hair." "Thank you, Ambassador. But black has never been my favorite color. I prefer pastels." "As does the majority of the guests," Sarta pointed out. This was considered the highlight of the ambassador's visit, so everybody who was anybody of the Ninth Omegan Capitol positively had to go. There were the dukes and duchesses of the Capitol, the princess pointed out to him. The duchesses followed every fashion move the princess made, and she never made very many of them. Her decision to wear black to the ball hadn't reached them in time, so they wore pale blue linen, as Beauty herself had done a few weeks ago. The dukes they had come with were nursing wine goblets in attempt to rid themselves of the headache they had gotten while their wives and daughters had given them while trying to find something to wear to the ball. The Lady Amalgra and her daughters were flirting with every man they could find, as usual. The Prince was the exception to their adventures, and they were very sorry of it. All the same, everyone had a marvelous time. "May I have the honor of this dance, Princess," Ambassador Sarta asked. "I think it's only fair that I dance with you after my mother invited you to the ball. What would be the point of coming if not to dance?" She allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, where they participated in a traditional dance of the Omega system along with the other attendees of the ball. The prince met her on the sidelines of the floor. "Would Your Highness honor me with a dance?" "I would." Prince Kaijin, smiling, danced her out to the center of the floor. There they whirled and spun until the music stopped. Applauding with the other guests, Kaijin led the princess back to the sidelines. "Princess, are you feeling all right," he asked. "You look flushed." "I feel a bit light-headed, honestly. May we step out onto the balcony for some air?" "It's not my position to say yea or nay, so I guess we may." She laughed at his rhyming, and he joined her. The balcony overlooked a smallish courtyard edged with a blue-marble wall. The courtyard was more of a garden, really, being filled with all manners of lilacs and hibiscus and orchids. Lovely scents rose up from beneath to give a heady, perfumed quality to the air. Beauty loved this garden. It always smelled so wonderful, like her mother. The queen wore perfume made from the flowers of a pink lilac bush. Princess Beauty's perfume came from a pale purple bush. Beyond the garden wall lay the jungle. All sorts of sounds blew in on the breezes; bird calls, screams of hunted prey, frenzied noises of a hunter after its quarry. But close to the wall there was peace. The palace was protected from wild animals by a peaceful border spell. It had a calming effect on the animals that came near it, erasing their wildness. Some stayed close after encountering the peace, primarily the birds that Beauty called to her every morning. She enjoyed a good conversation with the native peacocks, and awoke each morning to the call of the bright-feathered avila birds. Other animals couldn't wait to get away. They were the ones that thrived on violence, that had to chase and kill their meals. "Marvelous." Though Kaijin had seen this garden before, the colors and scents always took his breath away. Each time he came, it was as if he couldn't wait to come back here. "Isn't it though," Beauty agreed. A chirping from her lilac bush caught her ear. "Listen," she whispered. "What is it," asked Kaijin. "It's Chirpa, one of the avila birds that wake me up every morning." She giggled softly. "He's come to serenade us." "How do you know it's a he? Can you understand it?" "Yes." Her eyes danced. "I probably shouldn't repeat what he's saying, though." She listened some more and blushed. "As a matter of fact, I think I should interrupt him." Beauty called to her avila bird friend with a whistle. A confused chirp answered her. She called back. With a little rush of wings the bird fluttered out of bush and alit on Beauty's outstretched hand. "Hello there," she said in natural speech. "This is my betrothed, Prince Kaijin." "Can he understand you?" At the prince's question, the bird bobbed his head. "Does that answer your question," Beauty replied. Chirpa twittered again, and Beauty nodded. "Go ahead," she told him. He bobbed his head and flew to Kaijin's hand. Kaijin stood absolutely still. Clearly he had never handled a bird before, much less have one alight on his hand. "Stroke his head, Kaijin. He likes that." Beauty moved over to him and lifted her arm. "Like this," she said, demonstrating. She moved her finger lightly over the bird's head, where his little feathered crest was. "Don't rub backward, though. That hurts his feathers." She brought his hand up with her free hand, using his hand as a demonstration. "Now you try." He did, wondering how the young woman standing next to him could be so gentle and graceful when he felt so awkward. He marveled at how Chirpa's feathers felt like silk as his finger moved over the bird's head. It brought a smile to his face to see the small avian looking up at him with such trust. It was almost as if he said, "Any friend of Beauty's is a friend of mine," and all the trust he gave her was shared by all she introduced him to. Gradually he noticed that Beauty had moved away. He turned to her, being careful not to make a sudden move for fear of frightening Chirpa. She was staring at her with her green eyes wide, watching in wonderment. "I've never seen that before," she said cryptically. "What?" "Chirpa.he gave you the gift of knowledge. You can now understand what he says. And you can speak with him in his own language." "How did he...?" "Chirpa must possess some magic that enables him to do that. I knew how to communicate with him because I am the daughter of the Yumezuishou. But you.." Her voice trailed off. She stood still for a few moments, then shook her head. "We should be getting back." "Yes," Kaijin agreed. He held out his hand to the lilac bush, and Chirpa flew away.  
  
That night, Beauty lay awake, unable to sleep. Something or someone kept calling to her, willing her to come. Beauty recognized the voice and traced where it was coming from. She knew that the person who called to her mentally had safeguarded her mind so that she was the only one to hear it. Beauty had not wanted to get up, but this constituted an emergency. And anyway, the avila were out; she could use that as an excuse. The avila were both diurnal and nocturnal, depending upon when they hatched-night hatched chicks were nocturnal, day-hatched chicks were diurnal-and she heard them calling. Chirpa was a nocturnal bird, and he sat in a nearby tree calling for a female. Several others sat with him, and occasionally a fight broke out about who was to sit where. It always ended with a squawking about waking the princess, and then they all settled down on the nearest branch until someone else came. Beauty rose from her bed and went out to the balcony. Chirpa took one look at the others and twittered, "I told you not to wake the princess up." Beauty broke into quiet laughter. "Chirpa," she whistled, "none of you woke me up. I was restless and couldn't fall asleep, so I've been listening to you." She smiled as some of their smiles turned sheepish. "I love you all, you funny little featherbrains." She reached out and rubbed a few of their heads. "Sing me something, please," she asked. Several little heads bobbed as one. Four avila arranged them-selves in a little group, like a quartet, and began to whistle a quiet little piece, almost like a lullaby. Beauty listened with a soft smile, and when they were done she said, "Thanks, guys," and rubbed their heads again. "Now go find someone else's balcony to make noise on," she said good-naturedly. "I need to do something." The birds bobbed their heads in unison in their version of a bow, and flitted away. Beauty turned back to her room. Without a word, she slipped into a dress much like her cousin Serenity's, tying the bow in the back with dexterity. For an instant, she allowed herself to marvel at the way the cool silk felt against her skin, and then she resolutely shook her head. 'Not now,' she thought. Enough time to revel in her fashions later. Beauty pulled her hair up in one smooth move, making a quick ponytail with a piece of blue ribbon that matched her dress. The yumezuishou went about her neck on a silver chain. Soft shoes on her feet made no noise as she did what no princess should have even contemplated: she climbed over the balcony and down the carvings on the side. Hand by hand, cautious step by cautious step, she managed to keep the guards from noticing her. Beauty crept from shadow to shadow, amazed that she, the princess, who should be able to do anything without explaining herself-except to her mother-was forced to slink through the castle grounds like a thief. Just as she rounded a bend in the garden path, she saw the person she was going to meet. The lovely Queen Meisatsu of Omega made no physical attempt to hide her presence, but used her magic to make herself invisible except to her contact. Whisper-soft, the princess stepped into the circle of the Omegan Queen's magic. The moment she came within range, the queen turned her silver head. She regarded the princess as she sat down next to her. "Your Majesty, why did you call me here," Beauty asked. "My daughter," she replied, although Beauty was not due to become her daughter-in-law until she ascended the throne, "I brought you here to talk to you. I am concerned for my son." "Kaijin?" "Yes. My son almost seems to be.unhappy." "Why?" "I don't know if you've noticed, but he's a little nervous around you. You may not have seen it; he's a wonderful diplomat, and can easily keep his feelings hidden. Kaijin feels awkward, though, because he fears his feelings. I've been watching you two, and it seems that there's something neither of you wants the other to know. I think I know what that may be." Meisatsu's eyes told her she would not to tell. "My dear, you have to let him know. I don't care if you are the daughter of the yumezuishou or not, or why you think you're afraid, but if you don't do this, he'll always feel as if you only behave like you do because you're obligated to. Please, Beauty." Meisatsu must have seen the reluctance in Beauty's eyes, for she said, "For Kaijin's sake." Beauty turned to the woman, knowing that a breach of protocol would not be punished. She took the queen's hands in her own. "Oh, Lady Meisatsu! How can I? What if I mess up, if he doesn't-" "Trust me, my dear. Everything will be just fine. I went through the same thing when I was in your situation." Beauty's eyes misted. "Thank you, Lady Meisatsu." She embraced the queen, appreciating the depth of the woman's heart and love for her son. "Thank you," she repeated, and then she rose from the bench and stepped from the circle of magic. With a grateful curtsy, she was gone. "Oh, my dear," Meisatsu whispered in a sudden vision. "Things are coming that you could not possibly imagine." 


	4. Chapter Four

Something fuzzy rubbed against her cheek. She brushed it away with a smile. It came again, again she brushed it away.  
  
The third time, she shoved it off the bed.  
  
A loud yowl followed by a thump on the floor brought a laugh from her throat. Beauty sat up and looked over the edge of the bed to where Bastet, her pet cat, lay sprawled on the floor. The cat was staring at her with extreme annoyance. "Well," Beauty said, "Don't wake me up like that again." She laughed and picked the cat up from the floor, snuggling against its tummy. "Oh, you silly, lovable cat. I love you."  
  
Bastet meowed and started purring loudly. Then she meowed again.  
  
"What!" Beauty exclaimed. "I've only got five minutes to get ready for court today?" The cat nodded. "Omigosh! Mother's gonna kill me! I don't have enough time to pick out a dress and get into it on time! Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" She went into her wardrobe and began searching frantically. Then she stopped, realization dawning on her face. "Wait a minute. What am I doing? I can just use the yumezuishou to dress myself." That said, she put herself in the blue dress she wore the night before and applied her makeup in two minutes.  
  
With thirty seconds to spare, she performed a perfect reverence to her mother before the double-doors to the throne room. When she rose, she saw the ambassador from Omega waiting. "Ambassador," she said by way of greeting, curtsying again.  
  
"Beauty," the Queen began, "I'm afraid I have some distressing news. Omega has been attacked. We—the ambassador and I—think that this is an attack like the one on the Moon Kingdom of Luna. If so, then they will not stop until they have destroyed our kingdom. We must get everyone out as soon as we can."  
  
"Are you going to tell the court? How will they take it?"  
  
"Yes, I will tell them. I hope they will not panic."  
  
"They won't," Beauty said, suddenly sure of it.  
  
"How do you know, child," the ever-present Vincent asked.  
  
"I don't—" She broke off, for the yumezuishou had begun to glow an eerie green. "What's happening?"  
  
Queen Beauty had seen this happen before, when the mirror had warned her of things to come. "Go to the mirror, Beauty," she ordered her daughter. "Now!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's trying to warn you. It did the same for me, when it wanted to warn me of dangerous events. Go child; this could be the difference between the life and death of this kingdom!"  
  
Beauty whirled and ran, lifting her skirts up just enough to keep from stepping on them.  
  
"You shouldn't have frightened her like that," the Omegan ambassador told the queen.  
  
"I know," she replied, "but it was the only way."  
  
Beauty dashed into her room, barely avoiding Bastet, who was lying in a patch of light on the floor. She snatched up her mirror and touched it with the yumezuishou. "Show me what the yumezuishou warned me of!" she commanded, and the mirror flashed green light.  
  
Through the mirror Beauty saw swarms of black creatures—for that was what they were—begin to creep over the surface of Omega. They blocked out the Omegan sun, causing everything on the planet to be engulfed in shadows. Some started to move toward Omega One, and Beauty knew they would be there by dawn. The mirror told her that they would be at the front door of the Ninth Omegan Moon Palace by the end of the month. "Oh, no," she whispered. "Ambassador!" She had forgotten she wasn't in the hallway. Beauty whirled around, the mirror clutched to her chest, and dashed out of her apartments. Careful not to drop it, Beauty clasped it tightly with one hand and lifted her skirts with the other. 'D*mned heavy skirts,' she thought idly.  
  
Rounding the last corner, Beauty slowed to a quick walk. The ambassador turned when he saw the movement. The action brought her mother's attention as well. "What did you find out," the ambassador asked.  
  
"Ambassador, sir, I'm afraid I have news more grave than Her Majesty's." She showed both of them the mirror's images. "I'm afraid we have to evacuate the entire Omega System. Her Majesty was right. This is an attack by one of Beryl's sisters. I believe the yumezuishou called her 'Daikirai.'"  
  
"'Daikirai!' Hatred!" Queen Beauty hissed. "Beauty, take His Excellency and his party, your guards, and Queen Meisatsu and her son out to the comet. Do it now!"  
  
The princess acted with lightning speed. She dropped a swift curtsy and turned to the ambassador. "Please follow me," she said, and strode off down the hall. On the way to the Ambassador's apartments, she stopped by Queen Meisatsu's rooms. "You Majesty, I'm afraid I have grave news. Omega has just been invaded, and Omega One will be taken by sunrise. Unless we evacuate the entirety of the Omega system, all our people will be lost. Please pack your bags quickly and meet me at my apartments. Try to take as many necessities as you can. Anything extra you will have to carry on your own. Where is your son, Your Majesty?"  
  
"He's out in the gardens," she replied absently, still trying to absorb everything she had just been told.  
  
Beauty leaned her head in the door and called to the guards. "Make sure all necessities are packed and the queen makes it to my apartments!" They reacted instantly to command, snapping to attention and beginning to move. The two proceeded to the Ambassador's chambers. "Hurry, Ambassador," Beauty instructed. "We must be out quickly. I am going to my own chambers to get my things. Meet me there." With that, she left him.  
  
'Please, Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, do not let Kaijin be harmed, no matter what happens.' Beauty raced down the hall once she was out of the Ambassador's sight. There were so many gardens where Kaijin could be…wait! He loved the one by the ballroom, the one with the lilacs. Beauty turned another corner and ran to the grand ballroom. The doors were locked, but that was no match for the power of the yumezuishou With a gesture, the doors were open and Beauty was striding through. She made a beeline for the far set of double-doors that opened onto the balcony. A shadowed figure awaited beyond. Beauty threw the doors open…  
  
And came face-to-face with Kaijin.  
  
Kaijin started when his eyes locked with hers. "Beauty!" he said.  
  
"Kaijin," she cried. "You have to get back to your mother's apartment, now! Daikirai attacked Omega and is moving through the system! Her armies have already moved to Omega One and will be here by the end if the month. You have to come with me to the comet we use for transport. Mother Beauty has commanded it. Your mother and the Omegan ambassador's guards are coming with us; Mother Beauty's telling the court about it and spreading the word that anyone who can is to leave the Omega system."  
  
"Slow down, Beauty," Kaijin urged her. She calmed a little. "Now, tell me what we have to do."  
  
"We have to pack everything from your mother's apartment, my apartment, and we have to get supplies. I must get Vincent and some of our guards. They could be here at any moment. Go quickly, Kaijin. And remember that whatever happens, you carry my heart." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and fled back to her rooms.  
  
Vincent was waiting for her when she got there. "What's going on, child?"  
  
"Daikirai attacked, and will be here by the end of the month. The rest of the Omega system is being evacuated as quickly as possible. Please, Vincent, help me pack. I can't vanish all this to the comet on my own."  
  
"Actually, you could."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just use the yumezuishou. It's not that hard. Just daydream that everything and everyone went to the comet."  
  
"Okay." Beauty started to concentrate.  
  
"I'd let them know before I did it, child. I don' t think they'd much appreciate a surprise of that magnitude, even if it did save their lives."  
  
"Oh," Beauty managed to look sheepish as she said it. "Thank you, Vincent." The young woman closed her eyes. *Don't be scared,* she broadcast to everyone she was going to take. I'm going to use the yumezuishou. I'm taking everything up to the comet now. Everything around she and Vincent vanished, followed by another broadcast mental message. *Relax now. I'm taking you all up. Mother Beauty will join us in a few minutes, once she has finished in the throne room.* A slight, pleasurable, tingling sensation rippled through her body. She opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by the members of various courts, who were spread out over the meadow on this side of the comet. Vincent still stood next to her, and he caught her as her knees buckled.  
  
"Are you all right, princess?" he asked.  
  
"I'm fine, Vincent. Just a little weakness after using the yumezuishou. Where's Kaijin?"  
  
"There, by the Omegan Queen, child."  
  
"Good." After a few moments, the princess stood, her steward close by her side. *Mother Beauty, are you finished?*  
  
The reply came back an affirmative. All of the court members had gotten or were getting to safety.  
  
Beauty concentrated for a second, and then her mother stood next to her. "Thank you, daughter."  
  
"You're welcome, Mother. If you'll excuse me, I have to go see to the Omegan Queen." The princess turned to go.  
  
"Beauty, wait."  
  
"Yes, Mother Beauty?"  
  
"Beauty…I'm leaving. And I'm not coming back." The woman's eyes misted.  
  
"What? What are you saying, Mother?" Vincent's attention had been caught, too, and he listened with an expression of disapproval on his face. "Mother, what are you talking about," Beauty repeated.  
  
Tears flowed down the silver-haired queen's face. "I mean that I am going back to Omega Nine to stop this thing. Daikirai must not succeed in taking over the system. If she does, she could start a galactic army that could proceed in taking over the universe. Remember, Morrighan, the third evil one, is still out there.  
  
"All I have taught you was not in vain, darling. Use the information well. You will need it someday; I saw it in my mirror long ago, before you were born. Do not use the Dream Crystal selfishly, Beauty. That will lead to your downfall. Trust your feelings; they can be a great ally. Always remember that I love you.  
  
"Michael is coming with me. He will not leave my side; he only let me come here alone because he knew I would return. So great is my love for this planet that I would give my life for it, and I may have to. Goodbye, Beauty. I love you so much, and I wish I could see the day when you become a woman and ascend the throne." She reached out and laid her hand on Beauty's cheek. "Goodbye, my darling, my dear, beautiful child." She leaned forward to kiss Beauty on the forehead.  
  
Princess Beauty embraced her mother, not wanting her to leave but understanding why she had to. "Goodbye, Mother Beauty. I love you, too, and I won't let you down." Beauty kissed her mother on the cheek, and then stepped back out of the embrace.  
  
The queen turned to Vincent. "Well, papa, it seems that this little girl has finally grown up."  
  
Vincent nodded. "It would."  
  
"Are you happy with how this little girl turned out, papa?"  
  
"I'm very happy, child." Vincent embraced the queen and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Now, my brave child, go; do your duty as you see you must. And remember that I love you, as well."  
  
Tears just started to form in Vincent's eyes as the queen walked a little way apart from them and bid farewell to the Omegan queen. After a swift embrace, she returned. "I'm ready, Beauty. Good bye."  
  
"Goodbye, Mother," Beauty replied, and then her mother was gone, sent back to Omega Nine and her almost certain doom.  
  
"Beauty?" The question came from right behind her. "Are you all right?"  
  
Beauty turned and buried her face in the warm blue velvet of Kaijin's shoulder. "I'll never see her again," she said. Tears fell down her cheeks to land on his tunic. He wrapped his arms around her, whispering as he did when she had told him about her aunt. "Oh, Kaijin. She's gone."  
  
"It's all right. You are still alive. You have to live for the future. Would Mother Beauty really want you to give up when she knows you can succeed? Look at what you have around you. Vincent would give his life for you. Your court adores you, and respects you because you know how to rule and rule well. My mother supports you; if you ever have any trouble, she can help you. Your other aunt, Aurora, is still alive and she loves you." He lifted her face to look into her eyes. "As do I."  
  
"Kaijin," she whispered as he brought her face closer to his, "I love you, too." And then she couldn't say anything, because he kissed her. Beauty was the one who broke the kiss. "I'm sorry, Kaijin, but I have to ask you to leave. There's something I need to do before we leave for good." The comet was several hundred kilometers from ninth moon; what she had planned would still work.  
  
"What must you do?"  
  
"I'm going to stop Daikirai's minions." The princess raised the Dream Crystal high over her head. "Crystal of Dreams, I beg of you the power to stop Daikirai and her soldiers, that I might banish them back to the dark realm! Give me the power!"  
  
The yumezuishou flashed white light, and glimmers of light from stars around the system formed a glowing net of power that shrank around Daikirai's forces. That which belonged to the Omega system was left unharmed, but the dark powers that had no business there were caught within the web. As it shrank, the forces caught on the outermost edges of the circle were obliterated. Soon the entire force was nothing but a memory, although the officers and Daikirai herself had gone, taking the queen with them.  
  
Beauty collapsed against Kaijin. "I'll be all right," she reassured him. "I just need to sleep. I put too much energy into using the yumezuishou…." The princess, held close against Kaijin's velvet tunic, fell into a deep sleep, almost to the point of unconsciousness.  
  
Kaijin lowered her to the grassy meadow that was the comet's surface and touched the Dream Crystal that still hung from the chain on Beauty neck. Asking it to accept his one request, since he was not allowed to handle the yumezuishou but had to get everyone to safety, he pleaded it to take the comet to safe space, where they would not be harmed at least until Beauty woke.  
  
With a slight glimmer and a pull of energy from Kaijin, the comet took off under the direction of the Dream Crystal. 


	5. Dark Secrets

Daikirai slammed her fist down on the arm of her dark, garnet-red throne. "What?" she shouted.  
  
Kinan, Daikirai's own steward, cringed back. "I—I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but it seems that our forces were decimated and the Princess got away. The only ones we found in the Palace—on the entire moon, in fact—were the Queen and King, and the few court members who hadn't gotten out. There is some good news," he amended as Daikirai's eyes began to glow red.  
  
"Out with it," she said in a dual-toned voice.  
  
Kinan swallowed hard. She only used those tones when someone was in real trouble. "We captured the queen and killed her husband, and she waits in the outer chambers for Your Majesty's judgment, in chains. The queen must have heard of the expedition of Your Majesty's sister, because she is dressed in black, a sign of mourning among this people. Apparently, your sister killed Her Majesty's sister, my Queen. Queen Beryl's attack was a success—"  
  
"Nonsense," Daikirai interrupted him. "Beryl was locked away into Serenity's crystal, and Serenity's daughter Serenity still lives. And I don't want to hear either of those names again! But speaking of crystals, where is the yumezuishou, the Dream Crystal I so desire?"  
  
"Ah…Your Majesty, I'm afraid it is not on the planet."  
  
Daikirai's eyes began to burn red. "Are you sure," came the dual-tone.  
  
"Quite sure, Your Majesty," Kinan said as he edged toward a protective statue. "Please, Your Majesty…I can get Beauty to tell me where her daughter is—that's the only person she could have given it to. Your Majesty—"  
  
"Then do it!" The red glow grew brighter.  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," Kinan bowed as he disappeared from the throne room. Outside, he strode up to the Queen of Omega Nine, whom he had chained against the wall. He struck her across the face, not the first of the blows she had received. "All right, you stubborn b*tch, tell me where your daughter is."  
  
"Never," Beauty managed. Michael had been killed, during the attack on the palace itself. Beauty would rather die and join him than give up her secrets to this slime bag. He slapped her again. Beauty summoned up all the strength she had left. It wasn't much, because she had been placed under harsh conditions and had used her magic with Beauty's in that trap- net of power, but it was enough for what she had in mind.  
  
In the throne room, Daikirai felt the stirrings of power. But neither she nor her officers were capable of this type of power. It was the power of he Dream Crystal! 'That b*tch must still have it on her! She tricked me! I'll do far worse to her than—' Daikirai stopped. That wasn't the type of power one could command with the Dream Crystal present. The crystal itself was far away, with her daughter. This was a calling, not a strike. And she was planning to—! "NO!"  
  
Beauty opened her mind to the presence of the Dream Crystal. *Take my spirit,* she asked, and the Dream Crystal responded. Beauty's spirit was lifted from her body into a pool of light that Kinan couldn't see. She was free. Her soul now rested in the World of Dreams, in the light-filled universe controlled by the Dream Crystal.  
  
She had died.  
  
Daikirai burst from the throne room. "B*tch!" she cried in dual-tones. The Dark Queen leveled her deep garnet-red staff at the dead queen's body and blasted it with a shaft of crimson light. Speaking to the empty air, she shouted, "You'll pay for stealing that victory from me, I swear it! You or your b*tch of a daughter!" The rest was an incoherent howl as the Dark Queen's double-voice rose in intensity, too great for those once listening to bear. They fled the room leaving their Queen to plot her revenge wisely undisturbed. 


	6. New Life

Beauty awoke on the grass, first wondering how she got there, and then remembering. She sat up, aching with stiffness, and found Kaijin kneeling next to her. Everyone else was asleep, tired from the hasty escape and staying up for a while. Kaijin himself looked tired, but he had wanted to stay up and watch over her, to make sure she was all right. "Kaijin," she whispered.  
  
His head jerked up. "What? Oh, I'm sorry, Beauty. I was—well…"  
  
"It's all right, Kaijin. Go to sleep. I will be all right. I need to take us somewhere, though. Do you have any suggestions?"  
  
"Well, if you want a planet that's almost exactly like Earth with a warm climate a shade cooler than Omega Nine, Drestyl Axilon is a few star- systems over from here."  
  
"Sounds good. Which direction?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure," he answered hazily. "I think…"  
  
"Shh. Don't worry about it, darling. I'll just ask the Dream Crystal."  
  
"Isn't that dangerous? Remember what happened last time."  
  
"Yes, but that was when I had to take care of an entire attack force. I only have to get us from one place to another. That won't take as much energy. If you like, you can stay awake until I finish, just to be sure."  
  
"Thank you, Princess."  
  
Beauty, still sitting on the grass, lifted the Dream Crystal in both hands. With just a little concentration, she found the location of the Axilon System. She immediately directed the comet to its coordinates. Beauty put the comet into orbit around the Axilon sun so that the Drestyl—the people who lived on Drestyl Axilon—would not notice her arrival. If they did, it could attract Daikirai and her forces, or what remained of them. That was to be avoided at all costs.  
  
"There," she whispered as she lay back down beside Kaijin. The two lay opposite ways, Beauty's head toward what would have been east, Kaijin's to the west. They were able to look each other in the eye, so there was no improper interaction. Not that there would have been anyway. Then they slept.  
  
When they awoke in the relative morning, Beauty gathered her courtiers. "My Lords and Ladies, I'm afraid we must all leave. It is no longer safe for us to remain together, nor can we keep running and exist on the comet forever. I gathered you together to bid you farewell, for it is likely that I will not see you for quite some time."  
  
"Where will we go," asked the Third Omegan ambassador.  
  
"You will be strewn across the galaxy, so that Daikirai may not find all of you." She paused. "I'm sorry, but I will have to take your memories. Daikirai will try to find some of you and make you tell her where I am," she said over the clamoring that rose. "If she finds you here, with your memories intact, she will start hunting for me immediately. But if she and her forces believe that you are just another Drestyl, they will leave you alone. You will be safe. Please trust me."  
  
The court fell quiet when a cry came from the back of the crowd. "I wish to forget first." All heads turned to see the Ambassador from Omega standing tall. "I support Princess Beauty's decision, and I would like to be the first to forget. I will have performed just short of the ultimate sacrifice by giving my memories to my Princess."  
  
Beauty's eyes filled with tears. "Very well, Ambassador." She raised the Dream Crystal and implored, "Crystal of Dreams, by your true name I invoke your power. Yumezuishou, take from the Ambassador his memories of this life, that he may protect his kingdom by living another. And make his new life prosperous, for he was the bravest in the face of peril." When these words had left her lips, the Dream Crystal flashed blue light, and the ambassador was gone to some far-off planet, to live his new life in peace.  
  
Others soon followed, and after a short while, all but the Steward of the Court, the Omegan Prince, and the Princess of Omega Nine were gone.  
  
Beauty faced him. "Vincent, I—"  
  
"Don't, child. You don't have to do this; I still wish to serve you. Let us go to Drestyl Axilon to live as a Lady, her husband, and her trusted servant." When she objected to the marriage, he said, "Once we are there, you can go to a local church and marry yourselves. I'll vouch for the legalities myself."  
  
Kaijin turned to her. "Beauty, it's a marvelous idea, better than having our memories wiped. And besides, we can protect the system this way. And I do love you," he finished, unleashing his most dazzling smile on her. When he saw her weakening, he kissed her once, for a second. He saw her eyes grow wide after he broke the kiss. He was right; Beauty's love for him was so complete that she would sacrifice her safety for him, and Vincent.  
  
As would he, if their situations were reversed.  
  
"All right," Beauty said. "I can't fight both of you." She raised the Dream Crystal over her head, arms straight. She wanted to have the yumezuishou in a position where it could see them all. "Crystal of Dreams," she intoned, "I invoke your power by your true name. Yumezuishou, create me an item of power to use!"  
  
In a flash of blue light, a staff of silver appeared before Beauty. The head was a ring of emerald, with an emerald globe sitting at the bottom. The space between the globe and the ring looked rather like an upside-down crescent moon. The head was attached to the shaft by two smaller globes, each attached to the other. At the base of the staff was another attached globe, out of which extended a small point. "That looks potentially lethal," Kaijin commented.  
  
"It is, if I use it right," Beauty replied, taking hold of it. Holding the Dream Crystal by the necklace chain it was hung from, she invoked it again. "Yumezuishou, transform us into a lord and lady of this planet, and Vincent into our steward!" In a flash of red light, Vincent was dressed in a pale-green steward's uniform very similar to the one he had worn on Omega Nine. Kaijin wore tunic and breeches, hose and shoes, all green.  
  
Beauty was dressed in an emerald dress that could only be classified as interesting. The neck encircled her throat with only enough room left to swallow, and the front spilled down in a cascade of fabric, which was caught at the front in her silver belt. The vertical hems were firm against her sides, so that when she bent over, no one from behind and to the side could see in. There was no back. Her hair hung long and silver to her calves, brushing her back lightly. The full skirt—the one with the slit most of the way up her thigh formed by the wrapping material—hung just past Beauty's feet when she stood, but she wore strappy golden sandals with a few added inches of height. This kept the skirt off the ground. A ring of light-stone set in silver was on her left index finger, and a house-ring of silver set with a large sapphire rested on her right ring finger. She looked dramatically different from her usual self, when she had her hair back and up.  
  
She looked incredible.  
  
"Are you sure about that dress," an assessing—and appraising—Kaijin asked.  
  
*Typical male,* thought Beauty. "Yes I am," was all she said aloud. "And look, I even made us our own house-ring."  
  
A house-ring identified which house—more often called a Family—a person came from, and most of the houses' ring designs were well known. However, there were a few ring designs that had fallen out of use because of the extinction of the Family. Other designs weren't known because the Family kept to themselves so much. This one was neither. This one was a central sapphire surrounded by nine little diamonds. On the inside of the band was the surname "Archaia," a derivative of the word "archaic." Her story would be that she was part of a family that had kept itself isolated, and now that he father was dead, she had come to make her family known and marry. She said as much to Kaijin and Vincent.  
  
"Perfect," Kaijin commented, "except for one thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You need an engagement band." He conjured one up out of thin air, went down on one knee, and took her hand. "Beauty, darling, I know I don't have to do this because we're betrothed, but…Will you marry me?"  
  
Beauty smiled through her joyous, amused tears. "Yes. I will, Kaijin." He stood and brushed the drops from her eyes. She gave him her left hand, and he slid the silver one onto her ring finger. "Let's go see our new playground. Up for it, Kaijin?"  
  
"Absolutely." He flashed a wide grin. "How about you, Vincent?"  
  
The steward gave a tragic sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you two."  
  
Kaijin gave his dazzling smile. "You'll think of something by the time we get there. Right, Beauty?"  
  
"I don't know if he'll have that much time. We're going by the Dream Crystal."  
  
"I thought you said it was dangerous," Vincent said.  
  
"Well we don't have a faster way there right now, and the more time we spend out here is more time Daikirai can get to us. She might not know where we are if we're down on the planet among other people."  
  
"Can't she just track the Dream Crystal, though," asked Kaijin.  
  
"No. The only way she could track me is to send out probes and see which ones I destroy. I have the staff the yumezuishou gave me, so I don't think I'll have to do that."  
  
"If you're sure…."  
  
"Thank you, I am." With that, she slung the yumezuishou pendant around her neck again and dreamed that they were in a meadow on the planet, about a mile from town.  
  
One tingling sensation each later, there they were, about a mile outside the capital.  
  
"Oh, by the way," Beauty said as she conjured a carriage and horses for herself and the two men, "My name is Belle. It means the same thing as Beauty, but Daikirai's goons wouldn't know that." She climbed into the carriage. "Coming?"  
  
Kaijin sighed and climbed in after her. Vincent got into the driver's seat, where he took up the reins as if he had been doing it all his life. "Just follow the road, Vincent. We should be there shortly," Beauty—or rather, Belle—called out the window.  
  
"Okay, boss-lady," he called back.  
  
"What do you think my name should be," Kaijin asked.  
  
"Well, your name means 'mystery,' and I certainly have to agree with that. A similar name is—"  
  
"No, thanks. 'Kaijin' still works for me. And actually, 'Kaijin' is a pretty popular name nowadays."  
  
"Then I guess we're all good."  
  
"I guess we are."  
  
Just then, Vincent called out from the front. "Lady Belle."  
  
"Yes, Vincent?"  
  
"My Lady, where should we go first?"  
  
"Go to the governor's office. We need to get our Family registered on the census list."  
  
"Very well." They trundled along through the city streets, watching, and being watched as they passed along. Merchants saw new prospects, Families saw new party opportunities, and peasants saw new hope. The pair in the carriage saw a world of safety, where they could be welcomed with open arms, and where they could help common people. When Vincent pulled to a stop in front of the city governor's office and opened the door, a small crowd gathered to see who the new Family was. When Kaijin stepped from the carriage, the crowd began to buzz, but when Belle stepped from the carriage, the crowd drew in a collective breath and grew still. She was "really pretty," the children said. A few gathered closest to her and asked to have a kiss on the cheek. She gave them each one, and heard several promises never to wash that particular cheek again. Broad smiles grew among the mothers to see that their children were not harmed, and were in fact happy. Then the lady disappeared into the governor's office, and the world became dull and ordinary again. The lady remained the top priority on the city news passed around, and soon became the kindest, most famed lady in that city. Even the children told the ones who hadn't seen her marvelously exaggerated stories.  
  
Just before the month was out, the newly arrived couple had gone to the local church to carry through with the wedding. The whole city knew the week before, and gathered at the church to witness the wedding. The groom waited nervously at the altar with the officiating clergyman, who kept him relatively calm. He had, of course, appointed Vincent as his best man, and Beauty had made friends with the city's seamstress and a few of the local Ladies. The ones she had become closest with—especially the seamstress—were her bridesmaids. They came up the aisle in beautifully sewn gowns in the seven colors of the rainbow and lined up on the bride's side of the front row. The organ then played a fanfare that announced the arrival of the bride in the chapel.  
  
Belle looked stunningly beautiful.  
  
A wedding gown of deep ivy green had replaced her customary pale-blue dress. The veil was of the same color, and only dimmed the joyous sparkle in her green eyes. The design was akin to that of the dress she had worn when she first arrived, only smooth on the front and made of silk. A seamed skirt had replaced the slit skirt, as well. She still wore strappy sandals, only these were silver, and a bit shorter.  
  
Kaijin couldn't breathe; she was so magnificent. All he could do was watch, completely hypnotized, as his bride was escorted up the aisle to face him. When he started to see spots in front of his eyes, he knew he had to breathe, and forced air into his lungs to keep from passing out. As the ceremony progressed, he found himself becoming more anxious. Why did the sermon have to be so long? Finally, though, the priest finished, and Kaijin began reciting the vows. Then he slid the engraved silver wedding band on Belle's finger. She repeated her vows in a clear but timid voice, finishing strongly. She then put the engagement band from her finger onto his, completing that part of the ritual.  
  
"You my kiss the bride," said the priest, and Belle leaned into it exuberantly. After an appropriately estimated amount of time, she broke the kiss and took her husband's hand. Together, showered with confetti and amidst many cheers, they exited the church to climb into the carriage. Vincent had transferred himself from the altar and onto the driver's seat when no one was paying attention, and so was ready to drive them off when they had gotten in.  
  
The cheers grew dimmer in their ears, and the happy couple knew they were safely out of town. "Do you think we can create our mansion now," Kaijin asked. "I'd rather like to carry my bride across our new doorstep, and then some." He kissed her again.  
  
"Mm, I'll bet," Belle answered knowingly. "But if you want me to make our home—" She was kissed yet again and had to break off, then picked up where she left off. "—You're going to have to hold on." She smiled.  
  
He managed to look like an upset child. "Oh, all right."  
  
Belle laughed at the face he made. "Are you jealous," she asked teasingly.  
  
Just as teasingly, he stuck his tongue out and turned away from her.  
  
"Aw, poor baby." Belle patted his cheek, tilted his face back, and kissed him briefly.  
  
"Children," Vincent called good-naturedly from the front. "Let's not turn into three-year-olds."  
  
"Be right back." She sat back and lifted the Dream Crystal on its chain. "Dream Crystal! Please create us a mansion to live in as Lady and Lord. Make it of emerald marble, with a large lake in back." A few hundred meters away, a rather large chateau appeared, and they were driving up the driveway! "Look out the window, One-Who-Pouts, and see what the object of your jealousy just did for you."  
  
Kaijin did as she asked, sticking his head out of the carriage window. His jaw dropped when he saw the green marble wonder before him. He pulled his head back in. "You got it to do that?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered deprecatingly. Then she grew more serious. "The Crystal and I are rather like best friends than just Crystal and Mistress, so it did me a favor. It's rather hard to explain, but it seems like it's part of me, like something that belongs in me. Or at least, with me. Did you notice how, all through the ceremony, it was shining a little brighter than usual? I was happier then, more joyous than usual. And now that I think about it, when I was mourning on the comet, it was somewhat dull. I suppose that if I were mad, it would get cloudy, and start flashing within, like a mini-thunderstorm. Do you know what I mean," she asked suddenly, turning to Kaijin. "No, of course you don't. You haven't used the Dream Crystal. But when I first put it on, there was a little glimmer inside it, like a start of recognition. I'm not sure, but I think it was…waiting for me." 


	7. Chapter Seven

Daikirai paced back and forth in her throne room, cursing savagely to herself. For the moment it was empty; those she commanded were out searching for the princess. Every so often she stopped, thought for a moment, and switched languages, each more horrible than the last. Only during those brief interludes between curses did her eyes stop glowing and her voice revert to normal. "How could that little b*tch have gotten away," she fumed in dual-tones "There was no way they could have known…unless they had planned to get out from the moment they heard about my sister!" She swore for a moment, and then continued her train of thought in another language. "I told Beryl she was attacking too early. I told her we should all attack together. But did she listen? No! She thought she could do it all by herself, that they would never hear of the attack in time to make a difference. And look what happens when you leave your b*tchy older sister in charge." She breathed a savage curse in several different languages at once. "I guess that if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. Kinan!" she shouted.  
  
The timid little man appeared by the doors-that-led-to-nowhere, on the far side of the throne room. He would have plenty of time before whatever attack Daikirai decided to throw at him actually reached him. "Yes, my queen," he asked with a bow.  
  
*Smart man, even if he is a sniveling little b*stard,* she thought, seeing his strategy. "Kinan, call my legions back."  
  
"You're…you're going to stop the search?"  
  
"No, you idiot." Her eyes began to glow red as she thought of what she could do to the princess. "I'm going myself." She appeared her staff next to her absently, her eyes still focused on Kinan. "If no one else can find her, I'll just have to find her myself."  
  
Kinan shuddered. He didn't want to know what his queen had planned for the princess. "Yes, my Queen," he said for no particular reason. Maybe being praised would placate her temper for the time being.  
  
"Well?" Daikirai was still staring at him.  
  
"Pardon, my Queen?"  
  
"Call my legions back, you fool! Now! Before I turn you inside out!"  
  
With a hurried bow and an appeasing "Of course, my Queen," Kinan disappeared from the room.  
  
Daikirai promptly began muttering again—adding even more curses. Then an idea struck her. She stopped pacing and looked up. "Wait," she mused. "Wait." She thought for a few seconds more, expanding on the notion. "That will do very well," she said, putting the finishing touches on the idea in her mind. "Kinan!" she shouted again.  
  
"Yes, my Queen," came a voice near the wall.  
  
"I've changed my mind. Tell the legions they're getting a bit of help instead. They're to keep their search going and give way to anything that comes with my authority."  
  
"My Queen, any ambitious person could say they have your authority. Are you sure you want them to know that?"  
  
"Trust me, Kinan," she said, for the first time not minding that someone questioned her orders. "They'll know when something carrying my authority comes to them." Kinan bowed and left again. "They'll know indeed," she mused after him. Daikirai gathered her crimson staff to her and walked to her throne. In rapid succession, she infused six pillars at evenly spaced points around her throne room with dark red light. The six pillars reached out with the light to the others until they formed a ring. Then a beam of light from each pillar shot up into a globe at the apex of the ceiling. It in turn shot a beam of rd light to the floor, where a gaping portal opened, but only as wide as the beam went. "Yami Adyeko," she called, which meant darkness bewitching. "Come forth from the depths of space! I, Daikirai of the Negaverse, call thee!"  
  
In the red shadows of the darkness, a demon of the deepest crimson arose. He was hideous beyond belief, so twisted and evil that only another evil creature could bear to look at him. He started for Daikirai, but stopped short when he came to the border of the red beam. "Thou wert wise to trap me in this beam, Daikirai. One cannot say thou art stupid, as the humans that creep upon the ground pretending they are the superiors in the galaxies."  
  
"I certainly learn my lessons, demon," she replied contemptuously. In her last attempt at summoning this demon, she had forgotten to trap it, and had suffered tremendous losses both in forces and health putting it back into its own private hell. "I have called thee for a reason, Adyeko. Wish thou to deal with the petty humans who made thee what thou art?" That was her card. Once a full-fledged human, he had succumbed to the greed of the world and sold his soul to get powers of revenge against someone. His soul was destroyed in the process of acquiring his revenge, and he became a demon—a thing without a soul that lived in a separate hell than the others. These demons had no limits; having no soul instead of being a damned one gave enormous power. That power could only be used when a demon was called upon, however. He held a grudge against humans and would do nearly anything to get back at them, even make a deal with Daikirai.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
She conjured up a female prisoner she had captured in the attack on the palace. The woman, once a Lady on Omega Nine, was naked, and had bruises and welts on hr body from beatings given by the guards. "Like thou this one," she asked, knowing the demon's sick perversions. Sometimes he drained his victims—both male and female—of their blood, slowly letting it drip from a small wrist cut into a goblet beneath. Then he drank it. Other times, he sated his lust on the females, taking whatever pleasure he wanted with them. This most often eventually killed them, as some of his more atrocious delights involved not only appeasing his lust, but also enjoying their pain at the same time. Still other times, he tortured prisoners—more often the males—until they died, sometimes ripping out and devouring their souls, turning them into his slaves.  
  
Truly, this was a creature more appalling than Daikirai.  
  
"She is a fine subject. What do you want in return for her," he asked eagerly.  
  
Daikirai smiled, knowing she had the upper hand. "You can have this female in advance, if you wish," she said, levitating the woman just out of the demon's reach.  
  
He snarled. "Don't play games with me, b*tch," came the growl.  
  
"I don't play games, creature," the dark queen replied. "All you have to do is find the Princess of Omega Nine. Deliver her to me so that I can have my revenge, and you get a female and a male in payment. Surely a creature like you can understand the desires of revenge," she taunted. "You also become my slave, but may serve in my court. It means being free of that private hell you enjoy so much."  
  
The demon snarled again. "Serving you is hell enough," he answered defiantly. "I will take your offer, Dark Queen. And if you do not hold your half of the bargain, I will take your soul myself, and you shall serve me—forever!" With a deep, chilling laugh, he vanished, taking the female prisoner with him.  
  
Daikirai's ruby eyes hooded and she laughed as evilly as the demon had. The princess was as good as in her hands. *That demon doesn't know the half of what he just agreed to.* 


End file.
